Rupturable and openable bubble package

ABSTRACT

A rupturable bubble package for containing a sanitized implement such as, for example, a drinking straw, a toothpick or medical instruments. The bubble package is characterized by its construction from a flexible, substantially impervious material capable of maintaining a positive pressure of air or other gaseous fluids within the package once it is sealed. The package is constructed of front, back, top and bottom panels. All of the panels are adhered to each by an application of glue. Two of the panels are adhered to each other by a weaker glue. When finger pressure is applied to an outside surface of the bubble package, the panels adhered with the weaker glue will burst open. At that location, one of panels has an extended portion thereon constituting a finger grip. When the finger grip is grasped by the fingers that applied pressure to the package, that panel may be pulled from the package to gain access to an interior of the package.

This application is a Refile of application Ser. No. 12/080,757 filed on Apr. 7, 2008, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a rupturable bubble package that contains a sanitized implement. While the preferred embodiment will be described wherein the implement is a drinking straw, it is to be understood that the particular implement placed within the package is not to be considered a limiting factor on the scope of the invention. In fact it is contemplated that the present invention would have utility for a variety of implements including, for example, sterilized, medical or surgical instruments including the packaging of tooth picks which should stay sterilized until they are to be used.

The invention is characterized by its construction from a flexible impermeable material to define an enclosure into which the implement is inserted and sealed therein. By “substantially impervious” is meant to include material capable of maintaining a quantity of gaseous fluid inside an enclosure, preferably a gas such as, for example, air or an inert sterilized gas, when the package is sealed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The inventive concept relates to a rupturable bubble package for containing an implement and wherein the package comprises an enclosure formed from a substantially impervious, flexible material, such as plastics, foil or paper. The co-pending application discloses that the enclosure comprises a front panel, a back panel, and opposed top and bottom panels which are disposed in an interconnecting relationship between the front and the back panels to define the enclosure. It is, of course, understood that the terms front, back top and bottom are relative to the orientation of the package and are not to be taken as absolute terms with respect to the embodiments described in greater detail hereinafter. The rupturable package could be obtained through the process of extrusion whereby a plastic sleeve is obtained that may sealed at both ends. When the inventive package is sealed, the package is capable of maintaining a positive pressure inside the package and when squeezed, the pressure will momentarily increase so that the package can rupture as will be described below.

Rupturing of the package is accomplished by the its construction to include a weakened or portion or area formed on at least one of the front, back, top or bottom panels. The weakened portion may be a score line at or near the top of the package. The inventive concept may also be realized when a plastic sleeve is extruded, whereby the bottom may be strongly sealed while the top may remain in an overlap that may be glued together whereby a weaker closure or seal is formed that is weaker than the strongly sealed bottom seal and may be ruptured when finger pressure is applied.

The inventive concept of this application is expanded in that the rupturable seal is modified so that a pull tab is exhibited when the package ruptures. This will enhance the opening operation of the package which will not only open by finger pressure but makes it easier to gain access to the inside of the package by completely pulling away a side covering panel with the same fingers that caused the package to rupture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rupturable package showing a pull tab;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view after the package has been opened;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the rupturable package of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a different package;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a different embodiment of the rupturable Package;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a package having a pull tab on a long side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package which is fully explained in the co-pending application. In this view there is package 7 which would normally contain a sanitized item. There is a front cover 3 which is completely sealing the package. The basic package or container has an short extension on top past the sealed portion. The front sheet is sealed to basic package by a light glue 5 having an adhesion force which is less than the adhesion force of the other seals of the package. The reason for this less adhesion is that when finger pressure is applied anywhere on the package, the light seal pops open. This is the basic concept of the co-pending application. The advantage of the inventive concept of this application is that the covering panel 3 can now be pulled away from the package or the container by grasping the pull tab 4 with same fingers that applied pressure to the package and pull the covering panel 3 away from the package to free the sanitized item in the package.

FIG. 2 shows the package of FIG. 1 after the front panel has been pulled away from the container base 7.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective rear view of the package of FIGS. 1 and 2 prior to being opened. The container 7 in this view illustrates a larger package that may receive and store larger items therein, such as, a drinking straw 7 a or a sanitized medical instrument. The procedure in opening this package will be the same as was explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 shows a different size of a bubble package. There is a back-up sheet 8 which may be permanently attached to a container such as a large box. To open this package, one has to force pressure on longitudinal bubble 3 a, rupturing the top seal, which is lightly sealed at 5. Then by grasping the pull tab 4, the opening of the package can be completed by fully or partially removing the cover sheet 3 by pulling down on sides 6 to reveal the item stored in the bubble, such as a sheet of paper, for example. The bubble 3 a could be used to include some kind of message on a piece of paper.

FIG. 5 illustrates the same principle of opening the package 6 except that this package is using a different or novel rupturing procedure. All sides of this package are sealed by a strong adhesion, such as at 6 while the top end is sealed with a lighter glue 5. In this embodiment, the lighter glue application has sealed therein two elongated air bubbles 9 and 10. When finger pressure is applied to the exterior surface of the package, a double pop can be heard which adds to the amusement of using this approach in packaging. Again, as in previous explanations, a pull tab 4 is used to completely open the package by pulling away the cover sheet.

FIG. 6 is directed to a different embodiment having the container base 7 with a sanitized item 7 a contained therein. All sides of this package are sealed by a heavy glue application except one long side 6 is closed with a lighter glue application. Again, when finger pressure is applied to the package, the long side 6 with the lighter glue thereon will pop open and the single backing sheet may be pulled away from the container 7 by using the pull tab. In view of all of the above it can now be seen that the inventive concept of the co-pending application has been greatly improved by making it easier to gain excess to the interior of the package. There are many other embodiments that have been disclosed in the prior application and the pull open principle of this application may equally be applied to all the other embodiments disclosed therein. 

1. a rupturable bubble package for containing an implement, said package comprising an enclosure formed from a flexible material, said flexible material being substantially impervious to air and fluids, whereby a positive pressure of a gaseous fluid may be maintained within said enclosure when an implement is placed therein and said bubble package is sealed, said bubble package having a weakened portion at an edge thereon, said weakened portion will burst open when an external finger pressure is applied to said bubble package, said bubble package is constructed of a front panel, a back panel and opposed top and bottom panels, one of said panels having an extended pull tab thereon, said pull tab when grasped by said fingers, after said bubble package bursts open, is instrumental in completely opening said bubble package by said fingers. 